Another Life With You

A Close Call

It was no Switzerland, but Seri took a deep breath as she relished the view of the rolling green hills before her. Her paraglider spread out on the grass behind. The lavender Seri's Choice paragliding suit she was testing today fit snugly. Everything felt perfect.

"Daepyonim, when did you learn paragliding?" Manager Hong asked beside her.

"Did I not tell you? I got my certification in Interlaken when I went to Switzerland."

"Oh, I see. We could have tested it and sent a report to you. You didn't have to do it yourself."

Seri smiled, thinking of the plans she had ahead of her. Since she couldn't fall asleep last night, she had stayed up late plotting her path as Chairwoman of Queen's Group. "It looks like I'll get quite busy soon. I'm in a rush because I need to climb someplace."

"Climb? Where?"

A memory suddenly surfaced – of her mother on her living room sofa, asking her not to list Seri's Choice for her brothers' sakes. Seri's smile grew into a grin as she once again recalled their protests during last night's dinner. "High up."

The grass crunched as someone strode up behind them. Seri and Manager Hong both turned to see Ri Jeong-hyeok approaching. Now that Seri knew that the man was North Korean (a defector?), she wondered if that was what made him stand apart from everyone else. Other than his impressive build and even more impressive good looks, that is. "Yoon Seri daepyonim," he began, polite as ever. "The weather forecast doesn't look so good. I would suggest you reschedule paragliding just in case."

"Are you a weatherman now, too?" Seri couldn't resist the jibe. "The skies look clear. We'll be fine."

"What does the weather forecast say, Jeong-hyeok ssi?" Manager Hong asked curiously.

"Strong winds."

"Wind is good when it comes to paragliding. I'll be back in no time. You can both wait for me back at the parking lot with the others."

Ri Jeong-hyeok reached out and gripped her arm. "Don't go. It could turn into a dangerous situation." Surprised, Seri frowned down at his hand then slowly looked up at him.

Manager Hong, too, was staring at Ri Jeong-hyeok's hand. All of Seri's Choice staff knew better than to go against their CEO's wishes, even with the tiniest details like how they sat during meetings or making sure their phones were always set to silent. Touching her without permission or preventing her from doing something she had explicitly set out to do was unimaginable.

Seri tilted her head to the side, and a slow smile began to spread across her lips. That was when Manager Hong knew that the new bodyguard was in trouble. It was always worse when their daepyonim opted for a smile instead of a scowl.

She stepped delicately to the side, out of Ri Jeong-hyeok's reach. "Ri Jeong-hyeok ssi, you've been a reliable bodyguard so far. Even though it irritates me, I know that you're just trying to do your job. I value workers who go above and beyond what's required of them. Today, however, is not one of those days. If you still want to come to work tomorrow, step back and follow Team Manager Hong back to the parking lot. Now." All of this was said in a syrupy voice, with her most pleasant smile, but there was an unmistakably sharp glint in her eye.

Manager Hong tugged at Jeong-hyeok's arm. "Sorry, daepyonim. I will talk to him. Enjoy your trip. We'll be waiting." He began to tug more insistently when Jeong-hyeok made no move to follow. After a moment, Jeong-hyeok finally stepped back with him.

Leaving the small figure of their CEO alone on the hilltop, the two men began to make their way across the field towards a distant parking lot, nearby which Seri would make her landing.